Index and balancing attachment for ledgers.



PATENTED OUT. 13, 1903.

} H. E. JONES.

INDEX AND BALANCING ATTACHMENT FOR LEDGEES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20. 1902.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

ma mums. PEFEMBCD, Fuuvcaurma. WASHINGTON, n. c.

No. 741,140. I PATENTBD OUT. 13, 1903.

H. E. JONES.

INDEX AND BALANCING ATTACHMENT FOR LEDGERS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG. 20. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented October 13, 1903;

IioMEn EDWARD JONES, or nrtrsrot, TENNESSEE.

INDEX AND BALANCING ATTACHMENT FOR LEDGiERS $PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 741,140, dated October I3, 1903.

Application filed December 20, 1902. $eria1No. 186,083. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LHOMER EDWARD JoNEs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bristol, in the county of Sullivan and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Index and Balancing AttachmentforLedgers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an index and balancing attachment for ledgers.

The object of the invention is to facilitate and safeguard the posting of items to the proper accounts and on the proper lines,thereby obviating liability of error and confusion by posting improperly to an account on a line above or below the proper one, and, further, to permit a bookkeeper quickly to refer to and ascertain the status of an accountwhile the days work is in progress.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of an index and balancing attachment for ledgers, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, there are illustrated three forms of embodiment of the invention, each capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in ele vation of a portion of a ledger-page with the device of this invention displayed in operative position with relation thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail view of the attach ment. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are views, respectively, in front, rear, and side elevations of a modified form of attachment. 7 are views in rear and side elevation of another modified'form of the invention.

The generic and underlying features common to all of the devices herein shown is the provision of means for receiving the names of the depositors entered upon a ledger-page and spaced apart the same distance as the entered name, the provision of means for at Figs. 6 and taching the device to a ledger-page, and the adaptation of the device for disposing the names upon the device according as the requirements of the case may demand. The devices of this invention are adapted more particularly for use in connection with those styles of books or ledgers which have six or more day-columns with the account-names at the left-hand side, and by the use of these devices the bookkeeper is enabled to have the account number, names, and balances immediately adjacent to the daycolumn to which he is posting, thus allowing him to post with rapidity and accuracy and obviating the necessity of rewriting names, as is necessary in keeping books under the system commonly in vogue.

Referring to the drawings and to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, 1 designates the index, which may be constructed of a strip of heavy parchment, paper, or pasteboard of a length sufficient to permit of its being folded around the ledger-page and have its terminals united at the rear. As shown in Fig. 2, the body portion of the device is provided at each end with a broadened portion or head 3, from which project tongues 4: and 5, respectively, to be secured together in any preferred manner, as by the employment of paste or a clip, thus to present a band. The body portion between the heads is of the same width throughout its entire length and has'arranged on it bands or strips 6 of paper or other suitable material, upon which are written or otherwise displayed the names of the depositors, the bands to be of a width equal to the rulelines on the page, thus to cause accurate register between the names on the bands and those on the page.

The head 3 of the bottom of the index is adapted to have its sides folded on the dotted line 7 to cause the head to be the same width as the intermediate portion of the device, thereby to permit of the removal of one or more of the bands; but when lying flat, as shown in Fig. 1, the said head will positively prevent separation of the bands from the body portion. It is to be understood that, if preferred, the sides of the upper head may be likewise foldable, or the sides of both may be foldable, and as this will be readily understood detailed illustration thereof is omitted.

- page.

If desired, the operative faces of the bands may have a coating of silica applied thereto, by which arrangement should the bookkeeper desire to change the name on one of the bands or indices'it will not be necessary for him to remove it, but simply to erase the name.

Instead of employing bands, as described, strips of paper or cardboard may be secured to the body portion, as by an adhesive, and the indices thus presented may be provided with a silicate surface; but on account of the readiness and ease with which the bands may be associated with or disconnected from the body portion they will generally be preferred.

In the form of embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 a metallic body portion 8 is provided, which is constructed, preferably, of aluminium on account of its lightness and non-corrosive properties, the sides of the body portion being bent or formed into flanges 9, between which is held an index 10, preferably a sheet of paper or other suitable material having a coating of silica, the devices on the index corresponding to the rulings on the page of the ledger for the purpose alreadydescribed. The upper and lower ends 'of the body portion are bent upon themselves at the rear to present ledger-engaging clamps or devices 11, which to increase their clamping capacity may be provided with vertical corrugations l2,which will operate somewhat in the nature of teeth to pinch into the The free end of each of these tongues is by preference turned outward at 13, thus to facilitate the attachment of the device with the page.

In the form of embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the body portion 14 may be of'any suitable material, such as pasteboard or parchment, having applied thereto a silica face and ruled and divided into columns and lines in the same manner as the indices exhibited in Figs. 1 and 3. With the upper and lower end of the body portion is associated a head 15 and 16, respectively, which may be of any suitable metal,preferably of aluminium, and the outer end of each of the plates is provided with a clamp 17 and 18, respectively, to engage the ledger-page and hold the device properly associated therewith. The clamp 17 has a portion of its center struck out to present a tongue 19, which will constitute a finger-hold to assist in adjusting the device upon the page.

Each of the forms of the invention herein shown will be thoroughly efficient in use for the purpose designed and being simple of construction maybe readily manufactured at a price that will place it within easy reach of persons desiring to use it.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A device of the character specified comprising a body portion adapted to extend across a sheet between its edges, holding means extending over the edges to the rear of the sheet to permit the device to be positioned across the same,and one or more detachable indices movable upon the body portion between the edges of the sheet.

2. A device of the character specified comprising a body portion adapted to extend across a sheet between its edges, holding means to permit the device to be positioned across the sheet, and one or more detachable indices provided with a surface of silicate or like substance permitting ready erasure movable upon the body portion between the edges of the sheet.

3. A device of the character specified comprising a body portion adapted to extend across a sheet between its edges, holding means extending over the edges to the rear of the sheet to permit the device to be positioned across the same, and a plurality of indices movable alongthe body portion from one edge of the sheet to another.

L. A device of the character described comprising a strip of material adapted to extend over a sheet having means for engaging thesheet and guide-surfaces extending along the strip, and indices movable along the guidesurfaces between the ends of the strip.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HOMER EDWARD JONES.

Witnesses:

II. W. HOBSON, W. LYNN COPENHAVER. 

